The fund will target departments, with direct scaled funding with fewer that 40 officers and not more than 250. Priority will be given to departments in areas of the state that have high amounts of violent crime and narcotic activity. Priority will be awarded to agencies that operate or participate in multi jurisdictional task forces for violent crime and/or narcotics. Oklahoma is home to some of the most profitable trafficking routes in the country and those run though very rural areas of the state. Determination of funding will be at the vote and direction of the board. The board is made up of active and retired law enforcement canine handlers, state certifiers, civilians and attorneys. The current canine handlers were selected for their experience and seniority. Their agencies will be prohibited from funding either by size or already having sufficient funding. Funding will be granted 4 times a year (quarterly). The target for the first 2 years is to supply 20 canines in groups of 5.
The fund will also supply equipment to departments that other wise could not afford it. A crucial piece of equipment is the heat alarm on the vehicle. All canines are vulnerable to heat injury. The dog spends most of it’s time in the patrol car with the air conditioner on. If there is a malfunction on the patrol vehicle’s climate control the heat alarm will notify the handler instantly. The systems are expensive. The fund has partnered with Ray Allen Manufacturing in Colorado Springs to purchase the systems for departments at a discounted price. The Fund will assist departments with up fitting the system in a patrol vehicle as well.
In this same vein, The Fund will push the state legislature and governor’s office to enact a law allowing canines to be transported by emergency medical services in the event they are injured in the line of duty. There are several states with similar laws.
The most recent was Massacttets with “Nero’s Law.” 3 weeks after its passage a Mass State police special operations canine was shot during a high risk warrant service as was transported via helicopter and ultimately survived. After a similar law was passed in Florida, several canines were saved after sustaining injuries during violent encounters with felony suspects. The summer of 2020, Tito, a canine from Eufala Oklahoma, sustained a heat injury during training due to a malfunction of the air conditioner compressor in his K9 unit. The K9 unit was not outfitted with a heat alarm due to cost. First aid was given quickly and he was transported to a veterinarian where he was stabilized. It was determined that he needed to be transported to Tulsa to a larger tram facility. It took 2 and half hours of calls and texts to determine no one was “allowed” to transport the injured canine to Tulsa.
Ultimately we needed transporting him in the verternaties personal vehicle to Tulsa. Tito succumbed to his heat injury and a large factor in his passing was the time it took to determine how to transport him to a larger trauma facility.
Police Canine units are one of the only specialties in Law Enforcement that are mandated by federal case law to have a minimum amount of documented training each month. Additionally, K9 handlers are disporpotiantly put in the highest instances of use of force than any other unit in law enforcement. The quality of training is assessed as well. Due to budget and staffing shortages it is difficult for Oklahoma K9 teams to attend trainings outside of the state. These trainings are generally some of the best trainers and handlers in the country and their insight and experience is invaluable to the industry. The Fund plans to host 4 trainings a year. Those would be highly sought after experts in the field covering topics aimed at K9 handlers, Administrators, etc. The Fund will pay the speaking and instructing fees, travel and hotel for the speakers. Departments are free to attend and have access to these trainers at no cost. It’s a unique opportunity for many Oklahoma departments that they ordinary wouldn’t be able to attend or have access to. Tulsa Police Department and Oklahoma City Police Department have already committed to use of their training academy and facilities for these trainings at no cost to The Fund or
Speakers.
